Morris aims to fly flag for Irish with Grand challenge

09 April 2015 03:00 AM

Katie Walsh's third place finish on Seabass in the Aintree Grand National remains the closest a female rider has ever come to winning the world's most famous race but confidence is growing from connections of First Lieutenant that her sister-in-law Nina Carberry can do even better than that on Saturday.

As it stands at the moment, last Monday's Irish Grand National winning jockey has no ride in the race but Nina Carberry has been booked for the former Grade One winner, trained by Mouse Morris, and after the trainer saddled the second and the fourth in the Fairyhouse renewal earlier in the week there are obvious signs that his horses are beginning to fire again.

Morris said: "The horse couldn't be better, we just want a bit of luck now.

"We can take a lot of positives out of Monday, even if it was a bit frustrating.

"Everything we've run of late has run well, so fingers crossed.

"Nina has been and popped the horse over some Aintree fences and they seemed to get on fine. She's a brilliant jockey for Aintree. Hopefully, he'll give her a great ride. I think he will.

The former Gold Cup winning trainer added: "It was great for Katie to win the race on Monday and hopefully Nina can do the same at the weekend.

"We'll try and keep the women happy!"

A field of 40 will go to post for the race with Carberry's brother Paul trying to win the race again, this time on Cause Of Causes for Gordon Elliott who was the last Irish trainer to claim the race when Silver Birch won it in 2007.